Steam Box Having  An Energy-Saving Function

ABSTRACT

A steam box includes a container having an inner portion provided with a receiving chamber which has a bottom provided with a water tank. The container has a lower portion provided with a receiving space located under the water tank to receive a burner. The container is provided with an inner water storage conduit, an outer water storage conduit and an air draining channel located between the inner water storage conduit and the outer water storage conduit. Thus, waste air produced by the burner during the heating process is disposed at a higher temperature and can be reused to heat the water in the inner water storage conduit and the outer water storage conduit and to increase the temperature of the water in the water tank so as to shorten the heating time of the steam box.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a box (or case) and, more particularly, to a steam box that produces steams to steam or braise a food.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional steam box comprises a container containing water therein and a burner (such as a gas stove and the like) located under the container to heat the water contained in the container. The container has an inner portion provided with a hollow receiving chamber to receive the water and has a top wall having a surface provided with a plurality of steam outlet holes each connected to the receiving chamber. When in use, multiple steamers (or steam baskets) are placed on the top of the container and are located above the steam outlet holes of the container. Then, the water in the receiving chamber of the container is heated and vaporized by the burner to produce steams which rise in the receiving chamber of the container and are drained outwardly from the steam outlet holes of the container so as to steam or braise foods placed in the multiple steamers. However, the conventional steam box has a lower heating efficiency, thereby wasting the thermal energy and thereby increasing the heating time. In addition, the waste air produced by the burner during the heating process is directly drained outwardly and is not reused or recycled, thereby wasting the energy.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a steam box, comprising a container having an inner portion provided with a hollow receiving chamber. The receiving chamber of the container has a bottom provided with a water tank connected to the receiving chamber. The container has a lower portion provided with a receiving space located under the water tank to receive a burner. The water tank has a bottom provided with a receiving recess located above the burner and a water storage channel connected to the water tank. The container is provided with an inner water storage conduit and an outer water storage conduit. The container is provided with an air draining channel located between the inner water storage conduit and the outer water storage conduit. The air draining channel of the container has a bottom connected to the receiving space and the receiving recess.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a steam box having an energy-saving function.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a steam box, wherein the waste air produced by the burner during the heating process is disposed at a higher temperature and can be reused to heat the water in the inner water storage conduit and the outer water storage conduit and to increase the temperature of the water in the water tank of the container so as to shorten the heating time of the steam box.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a steam box, wherein the waste air produced by the burner during the heating process can be recycled and reused to provide a thermal energy so as to save the energy source.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a steam box, wherein the water storage channel extends downward from the water tank to increase the heating area of the steam box so as to enhance the heating efficiency of the steam box.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a steam box in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the steam box taken along line 2-2 as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the steam box taken along line 3-3 as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the steam box taken along line 4-4 as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic operational view of the steam box as shown in FIG. 1 in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a steam box 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a container 11 and a plurality of support legs 19 mounted on a bottom of the container 11.

The container 11 has a front wall 125, a rear wall 124, a top wall 122, a bottom wall 121 and two opposite sidewalls 123. The container 11 has a peripheral wall provided with a warming layer 17 to prevent a heat loss of the container 11. The container 11 is provided with a water inlet hole 129 for mounting a water inlet valve 128 and at least one water outlet hole 127 for mounting at least one water outlet valve 1280. The water inlet hole 129 and the at least one water outlet hole 127 of the container 11 are located on one of the two sidewalls 123 of the container 11.

The container 11 has an inner portion provided with a hollow receiving chamber 12. The receiving chamber 12 of the container 11 has a peripheral wall made of a metallic sheet plate. The top wall 122 of the container 11 has a surface provided with a plurality of steam outlet holes 126 each connected to the receiving chamber 12. The receiving chamber 12 of the container 11 has a bottom provided with a water tank 13 connected to the receiving chamber 12 to receive water 4. The container 11 has a lower portion provided with a receiving space 21 located under the water tank 13 to receive a burner 2, such as a gas stove and the like. The container 11 is provided with an air draining channel 14 located between the receiving chamber 12 and the rear wall 124 of the container 11. The air draining channel 14 of the container 11 has a top provided with an elongate air draining port 141 exposed outwardly from the top wall 122 of the container 11. The air draining channel 14 of the container 11 has a bottom connected to the receiving space 21 and the receiving recess 132.

Thus, when the water 4 in the water tank 13 is heated by the burner 2, the waste air produced by the burner 2 during the heating process passes through the air draining channel 14 of the container 11 and is drained outwardly from the air draining port 141 of the air draining channel 14. After the water 4 in the water tank 13 is vaporized to produce steams, the steams will rise in the receiving chamber 12 of the container 11 and are drained outwardly from the steam outlet holes 126 of the container 11. Preferably, the bottom of the air draining channel 14 is provided with a guide ramp 142 facing the burner 2 to facilitate drainage of the waste air produced by the burner 2.

The container 11 is further provided with an inner water storage conduit 15 and an outer water storage conduit 16 each filled with water and each located between the receiving chamber 12 and the rear wall 124 of the container 11. The air draining channel 14 of the container 11 is located between the inner water storage conduit 15 and the outer water storage conduit 16. The inner water storage conduit 15 and the outer water storage conduit 16 of the container 11 form a loop as shown in FIG. 4 to encompass the air draining channel 14 completely.

Thus, when the waste air produced by the burner 2 during the heating process passes through the air draining channel 14 of the container 11, the waste air at a higher temperature can be used to heat the water in the inner water storage conduit 15 and the outer water storage conduit 16 of the container 11.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer water storage conduit 16 of the container 11 is connected to the water inlet hole 129 of the container 11 as shown in FIG. 2, and the inner water storage conduit 15 of the container 11 is connected to the outer water storage conduit 16 as shown in FIG. 4, so that the water is introduced from the water inlet hole 129 of the container 11 into the inner water storage conduit 15 and the outer water storage conduit 16 of the container 11. The container 11 is further provided with a passage 18 located and connected between the receiving chamber 12 and the inner water storage conduit 15. The passage 18 of the container 11 has a bottom connected to the water tank 13 and has a top provided with an overflow hole 181 connected to a top of the inner water storage conduit 15.

Thus, when the water level in the inner water storage conduit 15 of the container 11 reaches the height of the overflow hole 181 of the passage 18, the overflow water in the inner water storage conduit 15 and the outer water storage conduit 16 of the container 11 is introduced through the overflow hole 181 and the passage 18 into the water tank 13 of the container 11. The water tank 13 of the container 11 is provided with a control switch (not shown) to control the water level in the water tank 13 of the container 11.

The water tank 13 has a bottom provided with a receiving recess 132 located above the burner 2. The receiving recess 132 of the water tank 13 is connected to the receiving space 21 of the container 11 to receive the burner 2. The bottom of the water tank 13 is further provided with a water storage channel 131 connected to the water tank 13. The receiving recess 132 of the water tank 13 is encompassed by the water storage channel 131. The water storage channel 131 extends downward from the two sidewalls 123 and the front wall 125 of the container 11 or from two opposite sides and a front side of the water tank 13 so that the water storage channel 131 has a substantially U-shaped profile as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Thus, when the water 4 in the water tank 13 is heated by the burner 2, the flame 22 of the burner 2 can also be used to heat the water 4 in the water storage channel 131 so as to enhance the heating area and efficiency of the steam box.

In operation, referring to FIG. 5 with reference to FIGS. 1-4, the water 4 in the water tank 13 and the water storage channel 131 of the container 11 is heated and vaporized by the burner 2 to produce steams which rise in the receiving chamber 12 of the container 11 and are drained outwardly from the steam outlet holes 126 of the container 11 so as to steam or braise foods 5 placed in multiple steamers (or steam baskets) 31. At this time, the waste air produced by the burner 2 during the heating process passes through the air draining channel 14 of the container 11 and is drained outwardly from the air draining port 141 of the air draining channel 14. At the same time, when the waste air produced by the burner 2 during the heating process passes through the air draining channel 14 of the container 11, the waste air at a higher temperature can be used to heat the water in the inner water storage conduit 15 and the outer water storage conduit 16 of the container 11 so that the water in the inner water storage conduit 15 and the outer water storage conduit 16 of the container 11 is disposed at a higher temperature.

In such a manner, when the water level in the inner water storage conduit 15 of the container 11 reaches the height of the overflow hole 181 of the passage 18, the hot water in the inner water storage conduit 15 and the outer water storage conduit 16 of the container 11 is introduced through the overflow hole 181 and the passage 18 into the water tank 13 of the container 11 to increase the temperature of the water 4 in the water tank 13 of the container 11 so as to enhance the heating effect of the steam box.

Accordingly, the waste air produced by the burner 2 during the heating process is disposed at a higher temperature and can be reused to heat the water in the inner water storage conduit 15 and the outer water storage conduit 16 and to increase the temperature of the water 4 in the water tank 13 of the container 11 so as to shorten the heating time of the steam box. In addition, the waste air produced by the burner 2 during the heating process can be recycled and reused to provide a thermal energy so as to save the energy source. Further, the water storage channel 131 extends downward from the water tank 13 to increase the heating area of the steam box so as to enhance the heating efficiency of the steam box.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. A steam box, comprising: a container having an inner portion provided with a hollow receiving chamber; the receiving chamber of the container having a bottom provided with a water tank connected to the receiving chamber; the container having a lower portion provided with a receiving space located under the water tank to receive a burner; the water tank having a bottom provided with a receiving recess located above the burner and a water storage channel connected to the water tank.
 2. The steam box of claim 1, wherein the container is provided with an inner water storage conduit and an outer water storage conduit; the container is provided with an air draining channel located between the inner water storage conduit and the outer water storage conduit; the air draining channel of the container has a bottom connected to the receiving space and the receiving recess.
 3. The steam box of claim 1, wherein the water storage channel extends downward from two opposite sides and a front side of the water tank.
 4. The steam box of claim 3, wherein the water storage channel has a substantially U-shaped profile.
 5. The steam box of claim 2, wherein the container has a top wall having a surface provided with a plurality of steam outlet holes each connected to the receiving chamber.
 6. The steam box of claim 2, wherein the inner water storage conduit of the container is connected to the outer water storage conduit.
 7. The steam box of claim 2, wherein the bottom of the air draining channel is provided with a guide ramp facing the burner.
 8. The steam box of claim 1, wherein the receiving recess of the water tank is connected to the receiving space.
 9. The steam box of claim 2, wherein the inner water storage conduit and the outer water storage conduit are located between the receiving chamber and a rear wall of the container.
 10. The steam box of claim 5, wherein the air draining channel of the container has a top provided with an elongate air draining port exposed outwardly from the top wall of the container.
 11. The steam box of claim 1, wherein the receiving recess of the water tank is encompassed by the water storage channel.
 12. The steam box of claim 1, wherein the water storage channel extends downward from two sidewalls and a front wall of the container.
 13. The steam box of claim 2, wherein the inner water storage conduit and the outer water storage conduit of the container form a loop to encompass the air draining channel completely.
 14. The steam box of claim 6, wherein the container is provided with a water inlet hole; the outer water storage conduit of the container is connected to the water inlet hole of the container.
 15. The steam box of claim 14, wherein the container is provided with a passage located and connected between the receiving chamber and the inner water storage conduit.
 16. The steam box of claim 15, wherein the passage of the container has a bottom connected to the water tank and has a top provided with an overflow hole connected to a top of the inner water storage conduit. 